Three small stars adorn the Regional Emergency Acute Care Transport aircraft near its propeller to memorialize the crew members who died Dec. 10 in a crash in rural Lee County.

Since January, the REACT crew has used a loaner aircraft to respond to trauma scenes and transport critically ill patients from smaller, regional hospitals to Rockford Memorial.

But on Thursday, crew members made their ceremonial first flight in an EC135 equipped with the latest medical technology, allowing it to function as an airborne emergency room. The crew will resume patient flights soon.

“This will be the aircraft that will be in service here for the foreseeable future,” flight nurse Tony Rehberg said. “It’s our aircraft. We’re going to take ownership of it. It’s our baby.”

The day was bittersweet for Rehberg, his fellow REACT crew members, hospital staffers and family members of pilot Andy Olesen and flight nurse Karen Hollis, both of Rockford, and flight nurse Jim Dillow of Shannon.

“We will always remember those crew members, having worked with them — some of us — more than 20 years,” Rehberg said. “To lose crew members like that is heartbreaking. We all know the risks we take every day. ... To be able to do what we do takes a special personality.”

Returning to the air was a way to honor the legacy of the fallen crew, health system CEO Gary Kaatz said: “We grieve their loss, and we will always remember them and their devotion to serving others.”

The new helicopter arrived this week. The light, twin-engine aircraft has a four-blade rotor system and can cruise at a speed of 150 mph. It weighs about 6,400 pounds when fully loaded.

The health system partners with Air Methods to provide aviation services. Dr. Jude Perez, REACT’s medical director, said the helicopter has new flight beds for neonatal transports.

The program averages about 600 transports a year.

“It’s definitely exciting,” Perez said. “It’s a little bittersweet, given the incident we had with our previous crew. They’re always going to be missed. But I can’t think of a better way to honor their service and their memories than to have this new aircraft.

“It’s going to be a great ambassador out to the region for patient care.”

The public can check out the new REACT helicopter during Fourth of July festivities, weather permitting. Meet the crew from 12:30 to 2:30 p.m. Thursday along the Sinnissippi bike path, just south of the Nicholas Conservatory & Gardens. The helicopter also will fly over the parade.